United destroy diabolical Fulham

Manchester United roared out a statement of intent at Old Trafford with a five-goal blast which devastated Fulham.

The Red Devils struck four times in the opening 20 minutes to get their latest title challenge off to the best possible start.

Louis Saha and Wayne Rooney netted either side of an Ian Pearce own goal, with Cristiano Ronaldo adding another to complete a first half in which Fulham's only consolation came courtesy of a Heidar Helguson deflection off Rio Ferdinand.

At that stage, Cottagers boss Chris Coleman must have feared his side would be on the wrong end of a landslide.

In the end though, the Red Devils notched just one more, with Rooney bagging with a well-taken second.

On the ground where he scored twice on his Premiership debut for Fulham five years ago, Saha took just eight minutes to open his account, rising to nod home Ryan Giggs' cross from the left.

Coleman must have been alarmed by the slack marking which provided Saha with his opportunity and it was not long before he was wishing the season could start all over again.

Set free by Giggs, Rooney found his initial run on goal blocked but, after finding Ronaldo, the England striker continued his run and forced Pearce to turn Saha's low cross into his own net.

Saha was heavily involved in the third too, meeting a Gary Neville cross with an acrobatic volley Antti Niemi did well to keep out, only for Rooney to nudge home the rebound.

All that was left now was a goal for Ronaldo, which duly arrived in impressive fashion two minutes later.

Playing with Rooney for the first time since their altercation in Gelsenkirchen, Ronaldo drifted intelligently to the far post when his team-mate collected the ball by the left touchline and sailed the ball in for him to volley home.